Reelfoot Forward

In this episode, Dr. Ken Berry shares the remarkable journey that took him from practicing family medicine in rural Tennessee to becoming one of the world's most influential voices on Keto and Carnivore diets, with millions of followers across YouTube and social media. He shares his battle with obesity and pre-diabetes, why he believes conventional nutrition advice failed both him and his patients...

Retired West Tennessee trial lawyer and author Jim Emison returns to “Reelfoot Forward” to discuss his new book, "Murder on the Hatchie: The NAACP’s First Martyr." The book tells the largely forgotten story of Elbert Williams, a Black civil rights activist who helped organize the Brownsville-Haywood County branch of the NAACP and challenged the exclusion of Black citizens from the ballot box. In J...

In this episode, Tennessee State Museum communications director Joe Pagetta shares details of his new book, “The Apostle of Tennessee: The Indefatigable Life and Ministry of Father Aloysius Orengo.” Pagetta tells the remarkable story of the Italian-born priest who spent 25 years traveling across Middle and West Tennessee in the mid-19th century. Father Aloysius Orengo helped establish Catholic com...

What would make someone run around the same track for 24 consecutive hours, covering more than 103 miles through heat, darkness and exhaustion? For Mark Anderson, the answer is something much bigger than running. Anderson, a McKenzie, Tennessee, husband, father, entrepreneur, digital creator and ultrarunner, uses the motto “Life gets heavy. Run light.” as both a personal philosophy and a call to e...

Twenty-five years after Sept. 11, 2001, the memories remain vivid for those who experienced the attacks firsthand. In this special episode, we hear from Randy Bridges, a Jackson, Tennessee, native and retired Air National Guard veteran who was serving in Washington, D.C., when America came under attack. Bridges recalls the moment the second plane struck the World Trade Center, the shock of learnin...

As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, artists across the country are helping us see the nation's story through fresh eyes. Few do it with the authenticity and attention to detail of David Wright. In this episode, Wright, one of America's premier historical artists, along with Discovery Park of America's senior director of exhibits and collections take listeners on a guided tour of Discovery...

What does it take to step onstage and pay tribute to one of the most recognizable entertainers in history? The guest for this special Elvis Week episode is Allie West, a third-generation Elvis Presley fan from western Kentucky and the creator of Beyond the Jumpsuit, a website devoted to sharing the stories of Elvis tribute artists. West explains how childhood performances, tribute-artist contests...

This special live episode was recorded on stage at Discovery Park of America during our 2026 Juneteenth celebration. We sat down with Union City native Kenny McCloud, a musician, songwriter, producer and studio owner whose journey took him from childhood dreams in northwest Tennessee to the center of West Coast hip-hop history. McCloud shares how cartoons, local musicians, school bands, funk and s...

Willy Bearden is a filmmaker, photographer, author, producer, musician and Southern storyteller whose work has helped preserve and interpret the culture, characters and history of Memphis, the Mississippi Delta and the Midsouth. In this episode, Bearden shares how growing up in Rolling Fork, Mississippi, surrounded by natural storytellers, shaped the way he sees the world. He talks about studying...

In this episode of Reelfoot Forward, Jennifer Glass, West Tennessee writer and educator, discusses her new memoir, "Little Miss McKenzie: Memories of an Average Girl in an Average but Perfect Small Town." With warmth, humor and sharp observation, Glass revisits growing up in McKenzie, Tennessee, and captures the people, places and everyday moments that shaped her childhood in a rural community. Gl...

On this episode, we talk with Kentucky author Susan Geveden Fisher, whose novels draw deeply from memories of family, rural life and the places that shaped those who came of age in the 1970s. Susan grew up in Graves County, Kentucky, where she experienced cruising through town with close friends, eight-track cassettes, church socials and visits to Columbus-Belmont State Park where parents actually...

On this episode, Houston Kelly, a 20-year-old country and soul singer and student at UT Martin, shares details of his recent experience on NBC’s The Voice. He talks about the long road to The Voice, including three audition attempts, the emotional timing of receiving his callback on the day of his grandfather’s funeral and the unforgettable moment Kelly Clarkson turned her chair during his Blind A...

This episode of "Reelfoot Forward” features a conversation with Curb Records country singer-songwriter Mo Pitney. On July 3, 2026, he will headline the final night of Discovery Park of America’s Rhythm on the Rails concert series and kick off the museum and heritage park’s America 250 celebration. Pitney shares his journey from growing up near Rockford, Illinois, in a family rooted in gospel, coun...

In this episode, Morgan Siebert, owner and executive director of the Super Museum in Metropolis, Illinois shares how her father, Jim Hambrick, built one of the world’s largest Superman collections from a childhood lunchbox into a museum with more than 75,000 artifacts. She discusses carrying on his legacy, connecting with fans through social media, working with Warner Bros. and DC on movie promoti...

In this episode, Kim Bearden, executive director of Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis shares how a search for a journalism job led her to Elmwood in 1998 and how the cemetery became what she now describes as her second home. Founded in 1852, Elmwood is the oldest active cemetery in Memphis and holds the stories of roughly 80,000 people. Bearden discusses the cemetery’s role in preserving Memphis history...

In this episode, Scott talks with Jordan Campbell, founder of Campbell’s Family Entertainment in Union City. Campbell grew up in Obion County, graduated from Obion County Central High School and studied engineering at the University of Tennessee at Martin. His interest in magic began in elementary school after he watched a YouTube tutorial and taught himself a trick. Later, with encouragement from...

Episode 226: Senad Agusi: Reviving Union City’s Historic Theatre In this episode of Reelfoot Forward, meet Senad Agusi, an architectural designer and engineer who has traveled from Australia to help bring new life to one of Union City’s historic landmarks. Senad discusses the renovation of the Masquerade Theatre, formerly the Capitol Theatre, and the careful balance between preserving a nearly cen...

What does it take to build a thriving arts community? In this episode, Greg Belz, founder of ArtWorks Foundation, shares his story of how one man’s background in television, advertising and promotion evolved into a decades-long mission to support artists and expand access to the visual arts across West Tennessee. Belz shares how he went from working behind the scenes in media and entertainment mar...

This episode features Miranda Fraley Rhodes, Ph. D., assistant chief curator at the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville. Miranda discusses how the museum’s exhibitions and interpretive programming help Tennesseans connect with their shared history through inclusive storytelling and compelling artifacts. The conversation highlights the museum’s new exhibition, "Tennessee Voices, American Stories,"...

In this episode, the conversation turns to one of the most significant commemorations of our lifetime: the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Carrie Tipton, Ph. D., coordinator of Tennessee’s America 250 commemoration, discusses the many ways the state is preparing to mark this historic milestone. Tipton explains the national America 250 initiative and Tennessee’s...

Episode 222: Thomas Batchelor and Fred Bloom: From Tennessee to The Alamo In this episode of Reelfoot Forward, Interpretive Ranger Thomas H. Batchelor and historic interpreter Fred Bloom of David Crockett Birthplace State Park join the conversation to explore the real life, legacy and enduring legend of David Crockett, one of Tennessee’s most iconic figures. The discussion comes at a pivotal momen...

This episode features a conversation with Kevin and Stacie Herrell, the husband-and-wife team behind Higher Ground Coffee Company and Vantage Coffee Roasters. They share how a love of great coffee turned into a nearly 20-year journey of building a specialty coffee business in Union City and Martin. The Herrells reflect on the challenges and rewards of running a hometown business, the importance of...

On this episode of Reelfoot Forward: A West Tennessee Podcast, Mandy Hinson, a familiar voice and face to many in the region from her years at West Tennessee PBS, shares her personal journey from growing up in South Fulton to navigating early college struggles, modeling in Atlanta, and even working behind the scenes during the 1996 Olympic Games. Those experiences eventually led her back home to c...

On this episode Dr. Dexter Davis, sports management professor at the University of Tennessee at Martin, shares his journey from coaching and athletic administration to academia, and how that path led to building one of the most exciting experiential learning opportunities in collegiate sports — sending students to work behind the scenes at the NFL Super Bowl. ​Discover how the student program has...

As Discovery Park joins the rest of the nation in kicking off the America 250 commemoration—the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence—Tommy Young, Vice President of Surveying at L.I. Smith & Associates, joins us for a fascinating conversation about the world of land surveying—past, present and future. With deep Tennessee roots and over 25 years in the field, Young off...